Purchasing an Electric Guitar

Purchasing an electric guitar for the first time is an amazing experience. There is almost an endless number of colors, shapes, configurations, and sizes. A person could, and probably should, literally stay at a music store all day trying out guitars. There are a few things I would recommend before making a big investment.

Many of the same thoughts in the acoustic guitar purchase blog holds true with the electric as well. I will list them but feel free to click on the link “Purchasing a Guitar Part 2-The Acoustic” for more details.

There are at least four areas that will apply to all guitar purchases.

• Are you attracted to the guitar
• Does the guitar size fit your body
• Does it sound good to you
• Does it feel good to play

There are a few other important considerations that will apply a bit more to the electric guitar:

• Appearance: Style, Shape, and Color
• Floating Bridge/hardtail/standard tremolo/locking nut
• Electronics

Style and Shape

Style is the first thing that comes to mind when considering an electric guitar. There are many styles to choose from which sometimes will or will not match the genre you are pursuing. A person could show up with a flying V to a jazz combo, but you would probably get a few strange looks. Fender and Gibson are the industry standards but there are so many competing brands.

I personally loved the Gibson Les Paul look but after playing them, I could not get used to the neck. I always tend to purchase a Fender and Ibanez.

There is an important point in the last article that is worth repeating…make sure to get a guitar that you are attracted to. This will make paying for it and playing it much more enjoyable. There are too many guitars out there to have to settle.

Another important consideration is the Flying V. This is a guitar that looks amazing and has been used by countless musicians. It has a great sound and plays like a dream. But the downside is, if you are sitting, it likes to slide off your leg. You can use a strap or play it with the V section resting on your leg, however it may be awkward for some guitarists.

Electric Guitar Bridge Systems

The next thing I look for is what type of bridge do I want. There are many types of bridges, but I will focus on the three main types. First is the hard-tail that is anchored onto the guitar and does not have a whammy bar. The second is a standard tremolo that uses a whammy bar, but only moves one direction. A third common option is the floating tremolo system.

Hard Tail

The hard tail is nice because if you break a string, most of the other strings will stay in tune. Another advantage that is helpful to new guitarists is that when a note is bent, the rest stay in tune. You can also save a little money since the hard tail is less complex and therefore less expensive than other bridges.

Standard Tremolo

The second type is a standard tremolo system. These are originally found on guitars that were made up to the late 70’s. They offered musicians a lot of cool effects like dives and vibrato. Artists like Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, and Keith Richards use this style. The problem they have is that the strings can go out of tune due to the releasing and stretching of the strings.

Floating Tremolo

The third type is a floating tremolo system that locks at the head such as the Floyd Rose. This is the type I have used over the years and have mixed feelings about it. The advantages are all the tricks a guitarist can do such as fluttering and diving without going out of tune. The big disadvantage is if a string breaks, the whole guitar goes out of tune. This is due to the tension that is needed to keep the bridge floating. Once a string breaks, the bridge moves since there is less tension on the bridge.

Electronics

The next thing to check for are the electronics. There are truly too many variables to cover all of it in this article. However, I will hit on the important one. Should you get a guitar with active or passive pick-ups?

Active Pick-ups

Active pick-ups are powered by a battery and passive pick-ups are not. The advantage of an active pick-up is that it is more powerful and the tone can be a little bit more even when adjusting volume. Just remember to unplug the guitar when you are done or it will drain the battery. Which brings me to the disadvantage. If the battery dies and you must remove the pick-guard to replace it, it can be a nightmare at a gig. Most guitars have a separate battery compartment on the back or side of the guitar, but the older models that are fitted with new active pick-ups may not.

Passive Pick-ups

Passive pick-ups are less powerful, but have more tonal options. Most songs are recorded with passive pickups. However, my favorite guitarist David Gilmore of Pink Floyd uses active pickups. It is a very tough decision that may come down to the battery. Active pickups are more expensive, but are quieter, have more sustain, and have no loss of high frequency with a long cable. Yet passive pick-ups are more affordable, natural sounding, and have better dynamic response.

Conclusion

These are just some areas to consider and research when looking into purchasing your first electric guitar. The bottom line is: how does it feel, look, and sound? An amp can compensate for a lot of the weaknesses in a guitar, but it won’t be able to polish a turd.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up for a lesson, please contact me.